A Yreka based wrestling program held at the YMCA is giving the youth of the community a chance to learn and appreciate the sport.

For around five years, Justin Vaughan and his assistants have run a youth wrestling program. Practices are held at the Siskiyou Family YMCA and the group goes to tournaments in California and Oregon. Kids as young as four and up to middle school age take part.

During a recent practice, things were bustling as parents and coaches helped the younger kids put on their headgear while other children were busy working on their wrestling technique.

Vaughan, who wrestled at Oregon State, said that wrestling is a natural sport for kids to take up and said even the little ones have been quick learners. After all, he said, little kids already wrestle and horse around with one another. The program teaches these children proper technique and other needed aspects of the sport. Vaughan added that it takes a lot of focus and discipline to become a good wrestler and said these are great traits to teach and encourage in kids.

With no competitive wrestling team at Yreka High for a number of years, Vaughan is hopeful the youth program will stir up interest in the sport and that a Yreka High team will form someday.

"We're hoping to build a base here," he said.

Previously, wrestling was offered as a club sport at the high school but is currently not being offered this year.

Vaughan said it would be wonderful to have a number of these kids have an opportunity to compete on the high school level by the time they reach high school. In the county, schools such as Etna, Mount shasta, Weed, Tulelake and Dunsmuir do offer wrestling as a sport.

Brady Svilich, program director at the YMCA, said he has been quite impressed with the wrestling program since it has started at the YMCA.

"In my opinion this program has been really good for the YMCA in the fact that it a sport that hasn't been very popular in the past," he said. He added that it has grown in popularity and is hopeful it will continue to grow and expand here in Yreka.

When Vaughn moved to Yreka he knew he wanted to help start a wrestling program for youth here. He grew up in Prineville, a town in Central Oregon, where wrestling is quite popular. Vaughan has wrestled since he was little and is glad to pass what he knows to the youth here in Yreka.

"I love wrestling," Vaughan said. "I have gotten so much out of it. It teaches you to compete but it also teaches you to be able to lose as long as you give it your best."

Page 2 of 2 - Assistant coach Anthony Aldrich commended the kids in the program for being quick learners and said a number of them have earned medals and trophies at the tournaments they have attended.

"We're doing really well," he said. "Our goal is to build a good foundation in wrestling," for the kids that take part.

Shawn Graves 7, has already taken a decent share of first place finishes in his three years in the program and said he really enjoys the sport.

"When asked what his favorite part of wrestling is, Graves replied "I like takedowns." Takedowns involves off-balancing an opponent and bringing them to the ground.